LOS ANGELES - Actress Lindsay Lohan on Thursday was sentenced to one day in jail and three years probation after reaching a plea deal over two separate incidents of drunk driving.
Lohan, 21, pleaded no contest to two counts of drunk driving, two counts of being under the influence of cocaine and one count of reckless driving. All of the charges are misdemeanors.
However she escaped more serious charges of felony cocaine possession because she was found with such small amounts of the drug, avoiding the possibility of a lengthy jail sentence.
Lohan, who is currently undergoing an intensive rehabilitation program in an exclusive Utah clinic, said in a statement after the plea deal that her life had spiralled out of control because of drug and alcohol addictions.
"It is clear to me that my life has become unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs. Recently, I relapsed and did things for which I am ashamed," Lohan said. "I broke the law, and today I took responsibility."
Lohan, the star of "Herbie: Fully Loaded" and "Freaky Friday," was first arrested for drunk-driving after smashing her Mercedes into a curb in Beverly Hills in May. A second arrest for drunk-driving followed in July.
On each occasion Lohan was found in possession of cocaine, leaving her facing the possibility of a stiff prison term.
Los Angeles County District Attorneys said the amounts involved -- less than .05 grams -- did not warrant charges.
Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers later brushed off suggestions that Lohan had benefited from 'celebrity justice.'
"She's getting what everyone else would get," said Meyers, noting that Lohan could face 120 days in jail if she is arrested for drunk driving again.
Lohan was initially sentenced to four days in jail, but the Beverly Hills Court judge reduced the term to two days. With credit for time served, Lohan was left needing to complete only 24 hours behind bars.
Lohan was also told to perform 10 days of community service and must attend an 18-month alcohol education program.
The jail term makes Lohan the latest in a line of Hollywood starlets to face time behind bars, following prison sentences for socialite Paris Hilton and reality television partner Nicole Richie.
A child prodigy who first rose to fame in the 1998 Disney movie "The Parent Trap," Lohan has gradually become more famous for her brushes with paparazzi rather than her acting work.
Her arrests for drunk-driving this year and subsequent stints in rehab were the latest twist to a tumultuous private life.
In January she was reported to have been discovered passed out in a hotel corridor following the Golden Globes awards.
Lohan's party-going lifestyle has been a source of constant tension in her professional life.
During filming of "Georgia Rule" last year, studio boss James G. Robinson took the unusual step of releasing a public letter to the actress criticizing her conduct after she complained of "heat exhaustion."
Lohan said Thursday she was determined to rebuild her career, which has suffered after her recent films "Georgia Rule" and "I Know Who Killed Me" flopped at the box-office.
"I very much want to be healthy and gain control of my life and career and have asked for medical help in doing so," she said.
"I am taking these steps to improve my life. Luckily, I am not alone in my daily struggle and I know that people like me have succeeded. Maybe with time it will become easier. I hope so."
08/24/2007 01:19 GMT